Video encoding or transcoding frequently is used to reduce the amount of video data to be stored or transmitted or to convert a video signal from one format to another. Effective transcoding often relies on the accurate detection of scene features present in the video content, such as scene changes, fade-in transitions, fade-out transitions, flashes, and the like. Conventional techniques for identifying these features, such as by detecting a change in sound level for identifying a scene change, often are inefficient or ineffective at identifying the corresponding feature.